Category: Gear hacks
Wahoo Elemnt Bolt mounting onto stem caps
This simple hack takes a few minutes to install and can be moved to different bikes without tools or cutting and replacing of cable ties. Interlocking Velcro One-Wrap and adhesive backed Loop Velcro yield a sturdy mount and smooth surfaces in the bicycle cockpit. In this example the Bolt positioning is at an ideal distance and location for the progressive lenses I wear.
The method of interlocking Velcro types is widely applicable.
DIY Packraft construction & packing notes
This post is a work-in-progress documenting changes or additions made during the construction of four Telkwa packrafts purchased from the awesome folks at DIY Packraft. DIY Packrafts are extremely well designed and the kits assemble exactly as demonstrated in the excellent videos and printed instructions. My intention is to substitute the Leafield D-7 inflation/deflation valves to replace the supplied Boston valves. While heavier and more bulky my experience is that inflation/deflation is much quicker due to larger porting, are easily cleaned, and are field-replaceable without thermal welding.
There’s really only one tool that I’ve found that materially improves assembly processes. It’s a small stainless steel mixing bowl with a flat bottom slightly wider than a typical welding area. To the bottom of the bowl two parallel strips of 3M double-faced window film sealing tape are added just outside of the working area. This easily removable tape typically has enough adhesion to complete the welding of one tube segment. Removal and replacement of the two tape sections takes about a minute.
Cooking with gas
These are a couple of simple ways to get more efficiency out of your cooking system. The water bath also works very well for using a conventional propane/iso-butane gas stove at extremely low temperatures (below -30). Water bath – The sensible and latent heat in liquid water is used to vapourize the liquid fuel in the gas canister. It’s helpful to tip the bowl enough that air does not get trapped in the concave bottom of the fuel canister. Don’t be alarmed if you hear the fuel boiling inside the canister. As the water starts to show signs of freezing dump it out and add warmer water. The fuel will continue to consistently vapourize as you cook or melt snow. We’ve also set the stove in puddles and streams to achieve the same result. Windscreen – buy a thin flexible cutting sheet from your local shop, punch two holes near the corners of one side, cut and bend a piece of thin wire of a length to bend the cutting sheet. Lean the cutting sheet against the side of your pot to block the wind. This setup also works well with alcohol stoves.
The cutting sheet/windscreen can also be used as a stiffener inside the handlebar roll, and for serving Bikepacker’s Charcuterie. If you want to have a very reliable extreme cold weather stove system have a look at the butane to propane conversion in this blog post of various cold weather bikepacking adaptations.
